As the introduction to this article suggests, the best thing about this car, in my opinion, is the engine.  It is a 3 litre V6 turbo-diesel that pumps out 230 BHP and 332 lb-ft of torque.  In this car it's coupled to a 6-speed automatic transmission and according to various magazines should be enough to push the car to 155 MPH and 0-60 in around 7 seconds.  The key figure of course is the 332 lb-ft of torque.  This car is not light, and is burdened (from the performance perspective) by automatic transmission and four-wheel drive, but it shoots along once you put your foot down a bit!

 

 

The engine sounds absolutely fantastic, too.  I always thought that BMW 6-cylinder diesels sounded the best, but this engine is right up there with a lovely growl as you push the revs up to 4000 RPM or beyond.  Unlike my Toledo from days gone by, the big engine seems to pull hard all the way through the rev range, too.  But the engine is very quiet when cruising and this is what the car does best.  It's a long-distance travelling machine that gets you to where you want to go, unflustered and totally relaxed.

 

 

Onto other aspects of the car.  As with all Audis, the quality of the car, both inside and out, is absolutely beyond criticism.  The fit and finish of the bodywork is perfect (comparing with my Vectra is just embarrassing at times), and the quality of the materials inside is wonderful.  Everything works as it should, too.  By that, I'm again comparing with the Vectra.  Both cars have cruise control, but in the Audi it is just a little more unobtrusive when needing to accelerate for a hill, for example.  Of course, the Vectra is a very much cheaper car to buy ...

 

 

Does the car have any faults?  Not really.  Some might find the ride a little firm on a rough road (such as we get everywhere in the UK), and some might find the diesel growl when you first start the car up to be too much.  But the good points about the car completely outweigh those minor niggles.  For a car that boasts 230 BHP and yet can average over 40 MPG on a long run, a little bit of a growl and a grumble when you first start up doesn't seem too much of a penalty to me.  A wonderful car.